Teachers in Sheema District have strongly criticized recent remarks by Sheema South MP, Prof Elijah Mushemeza, who referred to them as “needy, poor, and brainwashed” during a public address—comments that have since gone viral and sparked public outrage.
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In a video widely circulated on social media, the MP mocked arts teachers currently on strike over salary grievances, questioning how individuals in their financial state could sustain industrial action. He further suggested that striking teachers could easily be replaced by unemployed graduates, warning them against pressuring President Museveni and claiming that they were too impoverished to survive a prolonged strike.
Mushemeza’s comments have drawn backlash from educators across Sheema and beyond, who view the remarks as degrading, tone-deaf, and politically damaging. Local teachers and education officials have demanded a formal apology, accusing the MP of undermining their profession and exploiting their challenges for political gain.
Zebedee Mwijukye, the Sheema District Inspector of Schools, dismissed the MP’s assertions, while several teachers vowed not to support his re-election bid, accusing him of disrespect and hypocrisy.
The incident has escalated tensions in the district, especially as Mushemeza prepares for a competitive re-election campaign, and has reignited debate about the treatment of educators and the wider challenges facing Uganda’s teaching profession.
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